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Phantom Audition
From the author of Spectre of Springwell Forest and Irresistible Summons…
A new, gripping supernatural mystery.
Small-time actress Mia Yardley, recently widowed wife of renowned actor Steven Yardley, discovers her late husband’s secret acting diary.
The diary details appointments made with a psychic medium, who advised Steven on which roles to take. It also raises questions about his mysterious and inexplicable suicide.
Seeking answers, Mia speaks to the medium, but in doing so is drawn into an ever- deepening mystery about what happened to her husband during the final days of his life. Eventually, she is forced to ask the terrible question: was Steven Yardley murdered by a vengeful evil from beyond the grave?
A new, gripping supernatural mystery.
Small-time actress Mia Yardley, recently widowed wife of renowned actor Steven Yardley, discovers her late husband’s secret acting diary.
The diary details appointments made with a psychic medium, who advised Steven on which roles to take. It also raises questions about his mysterious and inexplicable suicide.
Seeking answers, Mia speaks to the medium, but in doing so is drawn into an ever- deepening mystery about what happened to her husband during the final days of his life. Eventually, she is forced to ask the terrible question: was Steven Yardley murdered by a vengeful evil from beyond the grave?
300 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2019
7 people want to read
About the author
Simon Dillon
27 books16 followersI was born the year Steven Spielberg made everyone terrified of sharks in the city where JRR Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings. I now live in southwest England, near where Sherlock Holmes met The Hound of the Baskervilles.
I've written several novels and short stories. Most occupy the gothic mystery horror/thriller spectrum, though I have also dabbled in dystopian science fiction, children's adventures, and even the odd bit of romance. I'm branching into fantasy a little as well, but horrors and thrillers remain my fiction preoccupation.
I've written several novels and short stories. Most occupy the gothic mystery horror/thriller spectrum, though I have also dabbled in dystopian science fiction, children's adventures, and even the odd bit of romance. I'm branching into fantasy a little as well, but horrors and thrillers remain my fiction preoccupation.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 17, 2019
Phantom Audition is an awesome gothic mystery.
Compared to Simon Dillon’s other book, “Phantom Audition” isn’t as nail-biting or frightening – but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book at all! Instead, this book tackles a new genre, a more psychological thriller with faint supernatural elements than an actual horror novel.
The story itself is dark enough – Mia, a grieving widow of one of Britain’s most accomplished character actors, is trying to work through her grief, while her husband’s last film – a piece where he plays an eccentric painter – is making its way to the Oscars. Her house is a giant family mansion from her husband’s family, and she increasingly feels like she doesn’t belong there. Suddenly, she begins to see visions of her husband Stephen, faint ghost appearances in the library or outside in the grounds. It’s like he wants to tell her something. When she finds his secret acting journal, and finds out about the way he prepared for his last role, things begin to get spooky. Did Stephen actually consort with the spirit of the man he was going to play? Did he, perhaps, do more than consort with it?
The story is dark, and has all of the trademark Simon Dillon touches – the setting in the Dartmoor area, the quiet little town where secrets are kept, the few loyal and trustworthy friends and the Secrets You Are Better Off Not Knowing ™ - all come together to form a very intricate story about the acting and film business, about loss and finding oneself, and about moving on.
Personally, I missed the chill-down-my-back thrills of Simon Dillon’s other books (such as “Spectre of Springwell Forest”) but “Phantom Audition is definitely a great book to curl up with on a cold winter night. It’s a great book for those who aren’t sure they want full-out horror, but like to feel the tingling chill of a story that has more twists and turns than you expect.
Compared to Simon Dillon’s other book, “Phantom Audition” isn’t as nail-biting or frightening – but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book at all! Instead, this book tackles a new genre, a more psychological thriller with faint supernatural elements than an actual horror novel.
The story itself is dark enough – Mia, a grieving widow of one of Britain’s most accomplished character actors, is trying to work through her grief, while her husband’s last film – a piece where he plays an eccentric painter – is making its way to the Oscars. Her house is a giant family mansion from her husband’s family, and she increasingly feels like she doesn’t belong there. Suddenly, she begins to see visions of her husband Stephen, faint ghost appearances in the library or outside in the grounds. It’s like he wants to tell her something. When she finds his secret acting journal, and finds out about the way he prepared for his last role, things begin to get spooky. Did Stephen actually consort with the spirit of the man he was going to play? Did he, perhaps, do more than consort with it?
The story is dark, and has all of the trademark Simon Dillon touches – the setting in the Dartmoor area, the quiet little town where secrets are kept, the few loyal and trustworthy friends and the Secrets You Are Better Off Not Knowing ™ - all come together to form a very intricate story about the acting and film business, about loss and finding oneself, and about moving on.
Personally, I missed the chill-down-my-back thrills of Simon Dillon’s other books (such as “Spectre of Springwell Forest”) but “Phantom Audition is definitely a great book to curl up with on a cold winter night. It’s a great book for those who aren’t sure they want full-out horror, but like to feel the tingling chill of a story that has more twists and turns than you expect.
August 29, 2023
With each new Dillon book I read (and I've read seven at this point), I am more and more impressed with the incredible craftmanship that's gone into the piece. Phantom Audition is no exception. The poetry of the prose was such a delight, and although I've read enough of this author to have a feel for his work, the twists and turns kept me guessing all the way through. I was so sure I knew the ending, but I was wrong! And that is just one of Dillon's exceptional traits. How many authors write the same old same old? Yet this is a true mystery!
Can Mia figure out what really happened to her husband Steven? What secrets are contained within the cold and spooky Elm House? Everyone holds an air of suspicion. Must... keep... reading...
For readers of gothic and supernatural mysteries, this is a must-read.
Can Mia figure out what really happened to her husband Steven? What secrets are contained within the cold and spooky Elm House? Everyone holds an air of suspicion. Must... keep... reading...
For readers of gothic and supernatural mysteries, this is a must-read.
October 19, 2019
Grief does strange things to the mind. MIa mourns the loss of her husband Stephen, a renowned actor whose drug-overdose death is out of character for him. But not out of character for the role he's most recently undertaken. Could it be that the chillingly realistic embodiment Stephen gave, an Oscar-worthy portrayal of a famous artist, was so realistic because he received help from beyond the grave?
Mia wants answers. But each answer only raises new questions -- and drags her deeper into a frightening world where nothing seems real -- and the stakes are high. Who can she trust? Who knows what really happened?
By the time the story concludes, Mia's uncovered decades-old secrets and gotten swept up in a quest for vengeance beyond the grave. Some questions are, as she was warned, better left unanswered.
This was a compelling read with an unexpected conclusion. It left me wanting to re-read it right away -- like the feeling you get after watching an M Night Shyamalan film -- where you suddenly realize maybe you were asking the wrong questions all along! A thoroughly enjoyable, page-turner read.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Mia wants answers. But each answer only raises new questions -- and drags her deeper into a frightening world where nothing seems real -- and the stakes are high. Who can she trust? Who knows what really happened?
By the time the story concludes, Mia's uncovered decades-old secrets and gotten swept up in a quest for vengeance beyond the grave. Some questions are, as she was warned, better left unanswered.
This was a compelling read with an unexpected conclusion. It left me wanting to re-read it right away -- like the feeling you get after watching an M Night Shyamalan film -- where you suddenly realize maybe you were asking the wrong questions all along! A thoroughly enjoyable, page-turner read.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
November 27, 2019
I'm a sucker for any book with a creepy mansion on the cover, which is the #1 reason why I wanted to read Phantom Audition to begin with. At just under 300 pages, I quickly read through it yesterday morning before I finished one cup of coffee.
The very beginning of the novel somewhat reminds me of the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine," though the two have completely different plots. With both tales, I was under the assumption they were going to be simple haunted house stories but neither one went that route.
Mia Yardley is a fairly interesting main character for the most part. I struggled to connect with her for several chapters but eventually something snapped and I became intrigued with her quest to unravel the mystery behind her husband's questionable suicide.
The author's writing style is pretty good and I got a "Gothic" vibe all through the novel. All of the dialogue is well-written and the descriptions are very detailed.
Overall, despite a slow beginning, Phantom Audition turned out to be an entertaining read.
The very beginning of the novel somewhat reminds me of the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine," though the two have completely different plots. With both tales, I was under the assumption they were going to be simple haunted house stories but neither one went that route.
Mia Yardley is a fairly interesting main character for the most part. I struggled to connect with her for several chapters but eventually something snapped and I became intrigued with her quest to unravel the mystery behind her husband's questionable suicide.
The author's writing style is pretty good and I got a "Gothic" vibe all through the novel. All of the dialogue is well-written and the descriptions are very detailed.
Overall, despite a slow beginning, Phantom Audition turned out to be an entertaining read.
October 24, 2019
Modern Gothic Full of Suspense
I have a lot of feelings about this book.
Dillon, sticking to what he does best, has again written a novel that stole my sleep for two nights. I know I'll be thinking about so many of the characters, twists and turns, and emotions I came across on this reading adventure. He has a way of making you love and hate the characters over and over, and I can't say that I've ever read anything remotely similar to this plot. Originality, being captivating to the reader and giving me moments of goosebumps and multiple frightened starts earned all 5 stars. However, I must note that this does have profanity and I normally do not read books that contain profanity, so consider that a heads-up up if you are sensitive to mild language.
Keep up the good work, Simon Dillon. The reading world deserves books as consuming as Phantom Audition, and you deserve all the recognition you can get for the masterpieces you create.
I have a lot of feelings about this book.
Dillon, sticking to what he does best, has again written a novel that stole my sleep for two nights. I know I'll be thinking about so many of the characters, twists and turns, and emotions I came across on this reading adventure. He has a way of making you love and hate the characters over and over, and I can't say that I've ever read anything remotely similar to this plot. Originality, being captivating to the reader and giving me moments of goosebumps and multiple frightened starts earned all 5 stars. However, I must note that this does have profanity and I normally do not read books that contain profanity, so consider that a heads-up up if you are sensitive to mild language.
Keep up the good work, Simon Dillon. The reading world deserves books as consuming as Phantom Audition, and you deserve all the recognition you can get for the masterpieces you create.
October 2, 2019
Simon Dillon's newest novel, Phantom Audition, is a fantastic, page-turning, supernatural mystery! Thrilling from start to finish, with plenty of intrigue, Phantom Audition will have you on the edge of your seat.
Dillon does a wonderful job engaging you. Page after page, he guides you through the circumstances surrounding the death of main protagonist Mia's husband, Steven. I couldn't help but get drawn into the mystery, playing detective alongside Mia and her friend, Bronwyn. Dillon had me guessing again and again how it was going to end, all the way until it actually ended.
Dillon's Phantom Audition reminded me of how much I love the mystery genre and how badly I need to read more like this!
Dillon does a wonderful job engaging you. Page after page, he guides you through the circumstances surrounding the death of main protagonist Mia's husband, Steven. I couldn't help but get drawn into the mystery, playing detective alongside Mia and her friend, Bronwyn. Dillon had me guessing again and again how it was going to end, all the way until it actually ended.
Dillon's Phantom Audition reminded me of how much I love the mystery genre and how badly I need to read more like this!
September 21, 2019
Phantom Audition is one of the absolute best books I have recently read.
Author, Simon Dillon, carves a brilliant mystery with unforgettable characters, including a cryptic psychic medium.
You will follow Mia, Dillon’s main character, as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her husband’s death. Was it suicide, or murder? Had her husband joined a dangerous secret society which conspired with dead spirits to advantage his acting career?
With plenty of suspicious characters, you will be enticed to turn each page as you travel through this mystery to its surprising conclusion.
More books by Simon Dillon: Spectre, Springwell Forest and Irresistible Summons.
Author, Simon Dillon, carves a brilliant mystery with unforgettable characters, including a cryptic psychic medium.
You will follow Mia, Dillon’s main character, as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her husband’s death. Was it suicide, or murder? Had her husband joined a dangerous secret society which conspired with dead spirits to advantage his acting career?
With plenty of suspicious characters, you will be enticed to turn each page as you travel through this mystery to its surprising conclusion.
More books by Simon Dillon: Spectre, Springwell Forest and Irresistible Summons.
October 19, 2019
"I love this story with all of it's puzzles and strong emotion. Mia is a complex main character who is lost in grief after her husband's death. She is searching not only for answers, but also to be able to own her own skin again. She feels lost in her husband's shadow and is determined to come into her own. The way Simon weaves the side characters into the plot, revealing more and more secrets to the puzzle is genius. The setting also felt like an additional character, which I loved so much. I will be rereading this book many times, as I do only a few books that I abso love. Great job Simon!
December 9, 2019
A beautifully written thriller about grief and how it effects the mind. I immediately felt drawn to Mia the main character who is in mourning of her husband over his apparent suicide. Nobody really seems to take her seriously either they think she's just out of her mind in grief or plum crazy to begin with over some of the decisions she makes. I enjoyed how I felt while reading Phantom Audition. It literally gave me the creeps like a great horror movie would!
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2019
An extremely well written mystery thriller novel that kept you guessing at what was going on. After the death of her husband young Mia is left alone and feeling that nothing is truly as it seems. Was her husband's death an accident or was it something more sinister? The search for answers is haunting and might even come close to being deadly.
What trials and tribulations will she have to go through to get to the truth?
What trials and tribulations will she have to go through to get to the truth?
October 2, 2019
Simon Dillon has done it again with this intriguing mystery.
You will find yourself caught up in this page turner trying to figure out if the mysterious death of Steven was a murder or a suicide.
I had no idea how it was going to end and I like a mystery that isn't easily figured out early on in the novel.
An excellent read!
You will find yourself caught up in this page turner trying to figure out if the mysterious death of Steven was a murder or a suicide.
I had no idea how it was going to end and I like a mystery that isn't easily figured out early on in the novel.
An excellent read!
October 19, 2019
This is one that I definitely gotta get my hands on.
March 28, 2022
Simon Dillon has done it again with this gripping story full of intrigue and mystery. Characters full of emotions that a reader can invest in. Waiting for the next release by this talented author.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews